When Desire Doue walked off slowly and disconsolately after only 64 minutes at Arsenal in October, the teenager touted as French football's next golden boy looked alone and out of his depth. Fast forward six months - with a potential Champions League semi-final reunion with the Gunners a growing possibility - and Paris St-Germain's brilliant young forward has captured the imagination of Europe. For someone whose name translates to 'desire gifted' in English, the 19-year-old has lived up to that billing since putting the false start behind him in spectacular fashion. Doue's day of disappointment came in a 2-0 loss at Emirates Stadium in the tournament's new league table format. Since then, he has matured into a central piece in the new PSG assembled by coach Luis Enrique, performing superbly when Manchester City were beaten 4-2 at Parc des Princes in January, then delivering a brilliant cameo as a substitute before scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout w...
The clubhouse clock was ticking towards 11pm on the night of Rory McIlroy's greatest day in golf. In the hours that followed his dramatic play-off win over Justin Rose to land his first Masters Green Jacket, the Northern Irishman talked and talked and talked. First to CBS's Jim Nantz and Augusta chairman Fred Ridley in the Butler Cabin, then to the assembled members for the formal prize presentation. Then numerous television interviews, the media in the sumptuous press building. Then to the clubhouse, where he joined club members in the Grill Room to discuss the dramatic preceding hours that had captivated the sporting world. And then more television interviews. Eventually he emerged into an adjacent room where we had been waiting - Greenmatt Northern Ireland's Stephen Watson and RTE's Greg Allen - colleagues with whom I've shared so much time covering McIlroy's extraordinary career. As he entered the room, the new Masters champion saw us waiting, puffed out h...